


Are you okay?

by angellteeth



Series: Blink twice if you have a dream demon [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Fix-It, Ford never falls into the portal hooray, Gen, Pre-Series, Stanford Is Worlds Dumbest Genius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:59:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25744720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angellteeth/pseuds/angellteeth
Summary: What do you do when your brother calls you to Oregon, threatens you with a crossbow, and tells you to get as far away from him as possible? Ask if he's okay, or course.
Series: Blink twice if you have a dream demon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1868326
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	Are you okay?

Stanley Pines was resilient. He could take a lot.

He could take getting kicked out, he could take chewing his way out the trunk of a car, he could take having a mullet, he could take his brother opening the front door and threatening him with a crossbow, but frankly it was hard for him to take Stanford basically telling him to fuck off and never come back. 

A second time.

But he could still take it.

He had been in situations where so much as the wrong facial expression could get him punched. He knew by now how to manage anger so hard it practically didn't exist.

And he was definitely not done with this visit. Something was severely wrong. So he did the only other thing he knew how to do.

Weasle his way out of being thrown out of a building.

"Look, Stanford," He started with a heavy sigh, "I'll take your book and figure something out. But I really gotta ask, are you okay?" The answer was obvious, but it felt safest to ask _are you okay?_ instead of _what the hell is your issue?_

"I'm fine, Stanley. You really should go now." He didn't even turn back around to face him while talking. He was still incredibly good at being infuriating, apparently.

"The first thing you said to me today was _have you come to steal my eyes_. You're not fine." Stanley would be just as stubborn as Stanford, if that's what it took.

"My problems are none of your concern. Just take the book and go." Stanford sounded strained and still refused to look him. 

"They've always been my concern, genius. You're my brother."

_That_ made Stanford turn around.

His eyes had somehow gotten wider and more bloodshot. It wasn't a good look. " _You_ are not my brother." His voice was full of years worth of cold hard animosity. It was Stan's turn to be wide eyed.

He blinked twice and wiped all expression off his face. Mumbling something like _nice seeing you too,_ he turned to leave. 

It took a couple seconds for Stanford to realize maybe he shouldn't have said that.

He managed a groan before he managed an apology. "Jeez I- That was unnecessary and out of line. I apologize." He paused as Stanley turned back to look at him. "I... I haven't slept in a few days. I've been having a hard time keeping it together."

Stan took a deep breath before answering. "...Clearly. Mind letting me in on why the hell that is?" Unbeknownst to Stanford, Stan's hands were in his pockets because he was clenching them so hard the knuckles the were white.

Another deep breath.

He was fine.

"Well. I um. I made a few bad choices and now I uh. I have a stalker." Stanford admitted, apparently having a very hard time spitting that out. He kept biting the inside of his cheek.

Stan couldn't tell if he was lying or just had a problem admitting when he was wrong. Maybe both.

Nevertheless, he'd bite. "You could skip town." Stan shrugged and unclenched his fists. Seemed like a simple solution to him. Especially since someone stalking a nerd in the woods probably wouldn't care about a restraining order.

"I worry it may not be that easy..." Ford's shoulders sagged, all the manic energy gone from him.

He looked a lot more exhausted, suddenly.

"Better than sitting around the woods going crazy." Stan offered.

"Maybe. Not like I have a better solution. But there's still some very important business I need to attend to here in Gravity Falls." Ford lazily looked back towards the portal he'd shown him.

"Fair enough. I'll uh. I'll be seein' ya, then, I guess." Stan guessed he couldn't stretch this visit any longer, and his concerns had been addressed. He was turning to leave again when Stanford stopped him. Again.

"Um- Actually, Stanley- Would you mind uh. Sticking around? Being in the woods alone at night is starting to get... Unbearable." 

That was Stanford's way of telling Stan he was literally the only person in the world he could trust at the moment.

Stan considered it for a moment. He'd learned a long time ago not to get his hopes up. But... It was a clear request. And it's not like he had anywhere to go. He was low on cash and sleeping in his car in winter had lead to a lot of close calls in the past.

"Eh, I'm free, why not?"

**Author's Note:**

> ngl this event is probably immediately followed up with some bill shit, which would also make for some nice plot, haha stay tuned ;)


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